Cruising the Anime City: Patrick Macias and Tinihiro Machiyama

Hey, Answerman! - Generic Blues
This week on another harrowing episode of Hey, Answerman! Brian talks at great length about lousy generic shows and how and why they're made, touches a bit on digi-subbing with a digi-subber himself, and wraps it up with a big "Con Gripe" edition of Hey, Answerfans! 2010-08-13

Now Streaming: Shuffle 1-24 sub, 1-4 dub
When the doors into the realm of gods and realm of demons open on Earth, that can only mean one thing: some unwitting Japanese schoolboy is going to get the princesses of both wanting to jump his bones. 1-4 dubbed is here.
ALSO NEW TODAY:
Ragnarok the Animation 1-26 sub
Welcome to the NHK 1-4 dub
[discuss] 2010-08-13

Jason Thompson's House of 1000 Manga - Kazan
Jason unearths a little-seen but still classic adventure manga with a serious Ghibli bent, Kazan. 2010-08-12

Streaming Preview: High School of the Dead full episode 1
Our friends and Anime Network wanted to make sure you knew they have the following items on special right now: Japanese teenagers, zombies, and jiggle. Gee, I wonder what show they could be talking about? [discuss] 2010-08-12

The X Button - Undead Tired
This week: an interview with the men behind the zombies of Dead Rising 2! Plus Radiant Historia, Zack & Ombra, Ys Seven, and the manga background of an old NES cult classic. 2010-08-11

Now Streaming: Kaze no Stigma 1-24s, 1-4d
Elemental magic, clan politics and supernatural battles! We have the whole thing subbed, and 1-4 dubbed.
ALSO NEW TODAY:
Dragonaut 1-26 sub/1-4 dub
Nurse Witch Komugi 1-6 sub/1-6 dub
[discuss] 2010-08-11

Anime News Nina! - 2010-08-11
Sometimes you eat the bar, and sometimes the bar eats you. 2010-08-11

Shelf Life - X Hits the Spot

Ups and downs this week, along with more inevitable arguing about Hetalia!

- Hetalia ep. 1-25
- House of Five Leaves ep. 1-12
- X complete series + OVA
2010-08-09

Highschool of the Dead episodes 1-6
How much you like this blending of horror and high school romantic comedy/drama clichés will largely depend on how jaded (or not) you are about the Zombie Apocalypse genre. It certainly delivers on its promise of plentiful action, bloody violence, and fan service, though, and tells a remarkably good story so far.

Hellsing GN 10
This isn't the series firing on all undead cylinders; it's the series cleaning up its loose ends before closing shop.

Naruto Season 3 Box Set 1
Sasuke tries to depart the Hidden Leaf Village, and Naruto tries to stop him, leading to their long-awaited head-to-head in this regrouped rerelease of earlier boxed sets. While some parts are tedious and typical franchise and genre flaws are evident, this set has some of the first series' best content, too.

Gunslinger Girl: Il Teatrino BLURAY
The bad news is that the improvements in plotting and strong new characters are overshadowed by a more negative difference between the seasons: the 1st was slow, but the 2nd is boring. Il Teatrino's writing is sharp, but its direction is limp.

Soul Eater DVD Part 4
If something in the show interests you, chances are it's resolved here, and probably via an earth-shaking butt-kicking.

Alice the 101st GN 1
Well suited to its place in the Doki Doki imprint, which bolsters series intended as go-betweens from shoujo to boys' love, Alice 101st achieves the shoujo character-driven charm with an inkling of boys' love bait for the fans. If you enjoy coming-of-age stories told in parallel to honing a creative craft, then Alice the 101st could very well be a book for you.

Master of Martial Hearts DVD
A capable high school girl gets involved in an all-women underground fighting tournament to save a new friend in this five-episode OVA from ARMS. A kissing cousin of Ikki Tousen, the series is largely not worth watching unless dependence on nudity-laced fan service works for you.

My Bride Is a Mermaid Season 1 DVD Part 1
Throws everything it has into high-energy humor, knowing full well that neither its plot nor its characters can carry it. And for the most part, it works.

Demon King Daimao Episodes 7-12 Streaming
Prior to this there was always a chance, however slim, that the series would somehow salvage itself. After episode seven alone, no such illusions remain.

Kanokon: The Girl Who Cried Fox DVD 1
A youthful-looking high school student is the subject of warring amorous interests from fox and wolf yokai in this poor excuse for a Magical Girlfriend/Harem series. While it is distinctive for its girls' sexual aggressiveness and allusions to Japanese folklore, its early episodes are thoroughly outclassed by other series in its subgenre.

Fushigi Yûgi: Genbu Kaiden GN 9
Reading at the best of times is like being transported to another world, and in that this manga succeeds spectacularly. And although the inevitable end is undeniably on the horizon, you will not ever want to leave Genbu's land.